Monthly Archives: December 2015

Ah yes, so let’s talk about my transition into college. My transition started before my first semester even started, honestly. I’m an anxious kid, so as summer started to fade and the school ads were back on TV, I started to freak out a little bit. In high school, I was a good student, but I had a warped sense of what would come for me in college. I thought that I wouldn’t have a life because I wouldn’t have enough time to do anything besides study and do work. I was actually getting depressed, seemingly, just thinking about going to college. I wasn’t necessarily sad that I was going to continue my education or anything like that but I was just in a daze of anxiety, I guess you could say.

As stated previously, I’m an anxious kid, so much so that new things can make me really nervous and all that fun stuff. One of the things that I had to adjust to was riding the bus to CCBC every day I had class. Now, to most, riding the bus wouldn’t seem like a big deal, even to me now I don’t think it’s a big deal. But back then, I hadn’t really ridden public transportation too much at all so I wasn’t used to it at all. Of course, once the first day of the semester came around, I was perfectly fine and wasn’t anxious at all.

All my teachers for my classes were pretty awesome and didn’t seem too strict or unapproachable at all. Looking back on my semester, I’m definitely more prepared for my next semester. I’ve made friends that I will be able to talk to all the time and I’ll not forget this semester. I just hope I don’t get too used to being off this Holiday break!
–Caleb, student blogger

College definitely keeps me busy; however, I do try to give myself a life outside of college. It is hard to manage time. It is important to not overload yourself. Everyone deserves time for relaxing, or doing fun things. Don’t miss out on the things you love to do or the people you love to see because you might regret it later down the road. College is important, but so are you!

First, I have a job. I am currently working for Medic Rescue as a wheelchair van driver. I try to work at least thirty hours a week so that also keeps me busy. I actually enjoy my job because I see different places all day. I also like my job because I get to meet new people and make new friends while I am there.

Next, I have been playing guitar for nine years! I absolutely love music! I wish I had more time to play my guitar. I try to take every chance I can to play it. Playing my guitar helps me to relax. I just truly enjoy playing it. When I do get time to play, I could play for hours and hours. I am thankful for my guitar because when I’m done studying or it’s Christmas break, I can just strum away on my guitar and relieve my mind of college.

Outside of college, I try to find time to exercise at least four times a week. I started out running with my mom. Now, my boyfriend is my new running partner. Running gives me extra energy! It makes me feel amazing. It also allows me to feel accomplished. Running helps me take my mind off of college and is fun for me. Running is just another one of my activities that I do outside of college.

It is hard to find extra time for activities outside of college because college students do need to be focused and they do need a lot of time for studying and doing homework. It is important to do activities outside of college. It allows our minds to be distracted. Activities help us relax, and in general, they are fun for us. So, take some time to do the things that you like over this Christmas break or do them on the weekends enjoy yourself for a moment, and make sure you don’t overload yourself with college.

Most everyone is nervous about making the transition from college to high school. I was definitely one of those people- I did not know what to expect and I was nervous to see if college life would be a lot harder and different than high school.

I have to say that I think college life is a harder adjustment if one is going away to school to live on their own in a dorm. At CCBC, students get the perfect middle point between high school and going away to college. Students are able to get used to college- you go to college classes with other college students on a college campus. But, you are not thrown into a dorm on your own to figure it all out by yourself. That is why I think CCBC is the perfect place to start, if even for a year.

I was able to adjust myself to a new work and study ethic that you must have while attending college, without the stress of being on my own quite yet. Now as a second year student at CCBC, I feel as though I am ready to responsibly transfer to another college to live on my own.

The transition from high school to college is nothing to worry about; you just have to make sure you have a good work ethic when it comes to homework and studying and that you attend your classes regularly. So, even if you go away to school, the transition will not be as different and hard as you may think. All incoming freshman would be in the same boat as you, and making friends is easy to do!

Volunteering at events throughout your college career is a fantastic way to branch out and make connections with people that can help you out later on when looking for jobs, internships, etc. It is an easy way to get involved with events on campus and become part of CCBC’s student life. Last year, I volunteered for the Blood Drive, HollyDay, Warm Up Wednesday, and the Veteran’s Breakfast. I enjoyed doing all of the events but especially liked HollyDay and the Veteran’s Breakfast, so I would definitely recommend volunteering for those. There are other events that you can volunteer for, though, such as the Native American Gathering and the Commencement ceremony, among others.

I honestly can say that I found volunteering to be a great and rewarding experience. I met many influential people that gave me great advice on college, careers, and life in general. Everyone at the events are so friendly and helpful, which makes the whole experience even better. Also, you are able to meet many of your peers and make some new friends along the way. I got to meet other students that I otherwise would never have met before, and I am still extremely thankful for that. Volunteering also looks great on resumes for jobs and when transferring to other colleges, so it is absolutely something to think about. Honestly, it’s a great opportunity to put yourself out there to meet new people that can help you in the future and to also do something for others on your free time.

Everyone has different study habits, but have you found one yet that truly works for you? From experience, I can say that it took me awhile to find out which one was truly successful for me. Finding this out as soon as you can when entering college is extremely important- you will have to study for multiple subjects at one time and make sure that you are balancing each subject accordingly. For example, when I had a sociology test and a biology test in the same week, I made sure to set up more time to study for biology since that is my hardest subject. Sociology, on the other hand, I did not need to study as arduously for as I did biology.

Sometimes, people like closing the door to their room and being in complete silence as they are studying. Conversely, others enjoy and find it more successful for them to go to Panera or Starbucks to study in the ambiance that it provides. Others even enjoy playing soft music as they study to help them relax. I have found that I personally would rather study in my home when it is quiet and I can fully concentrate. I also find it to be beneficial to give yourself breaks in between studying instead of just going on for hours straight. If you know you have plans for the weekend or are going away for a few days, try to start studying early that way you are not stressed out when the time comes. Additionally, I start studying for exams about a week before the day of the exam regardless just so that I am not cramming a bunch of information into my head last minute, and if any plans do arise, I can feel confident enough that I have been studying the material to take a few hours off. Of course, these tips may not work for everyone because everyone is different.

It is so extremely important to try and find out what works for you as soon as you can. It will make your life in college so much easier to have a set study schedule and good study habits to make your college career less stressful and more successful! Try and do different things and try different methods each time until you settle into something that you find is the best for you.